X Future
by Simex
Summary: Puck Colton, code name: "Wisp", is a recent recruit of the X-Men. Little Puck has been starstruck with the idea of being on the front lines for awhile now, but when she gets the chance, does she actually know what she's going up against with the others?
1. Chapter 1

**AN:: This is my first fan fiction guys;** **good and bad reviews are appreciated. You won't be seeing any big cameos until chapter two, by the way.**

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><p>"Puck!"<p>

Sharlene's voice rang out clear in the young mutant's ears. The girl whipped her head around; flashing a wide grin at the strawberry blonde headed her way. Pushing herself off the grassy hillside, she ran straight for her and leaped, arms open.

"Sharlene! Oh my god!" Puck pulled back, hands gripping the blonde's arms, "how did your mission go? You've got to tell me!"

"Well, if you must know," she pretended to sigh in exasperation, "it went..." She paused, holding her breath as the rainbow head before her beamed with curiosity. She finally flashed a row of pearly whites. "It went fantastically!"

Puck began to hop up and down, as she squealed giddily. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Puck pulled Sharlene down to the ground, sitting on her dirt covered knees. "So tell me, what was it like? I mean, it was your first mission! And you were with Banshee! You can't tell me you weren't that excited or nothing much happened now."

Sharlene flushed a little, and averted her eyes from the prying gaze of Puck. "Gosh, you talk so loud! I bet half the academy knows now because of you." Puck gurgled with laughter as Sharlene smacked her thigh. "Anyways," Sharlene began, "it was a pretty simple mission. We were just stopping this one heist being pulled by some rogue mutants. Nothing too big. But, I had such a rush!" Sharlene began to describe the scrimmage, and how they saved the people. Puck was all ears, taking in every detail and questioning everything.

"Wow," Puck said by the end, "I wish I could go on my first mission..."

Sharlene frowned. "Why can't you go? You've been here as long as me. I see no reason as to why you're being held back."

"Professor X says I'm not ready yet."

"Bull! You can hold up a fight with me just fine, you are more than qualified."

Puck, now disheartened, began tracing in the dirt with her finger, a solemn smile on her face. "You really think so?" she looked up, seeing a group of guys crossing the grass with a soccer ball. Her eyes followed only one blonde. Alex Summers.

"I do," Sharlene responded, snapping Puck back to the conversation. "You have enough control with your powers. C'mon, I mean, recently you said you were able to cut down the change time from five seconds to two. That's pretty quick." Puck nodded, but still didn't seem convinced.

"But that's only so much, Sharlene. Phasing through stuff in a certain form is good and all, but I can't actually attack or anything. Xavier says that I have the capacity to do more. I'm not happy about waiting, but I want to put my faith in the Professor."

Sharlene's lips pursed as she now stared at the ground. "But...what about Kitty? Her powers don't necessarily have to be offensive all the time. You're older than her. You should still..."

Puck shook her head and smiled. "Sharlene, really, it's okay. Thank you though. I feel a bit more confident." Sharlene exhaled a little smile of relief. "I don't see why you aren't. Hell, you've got to be pretty sure of yourself if you're rocking a rainbow on your head." Puck stuck out her tongue, and the two had a small bought of laughter.

"Heads up!"

A soccer ball slammed into Puck's head in seconds, making her fall back. She was out for the count.

"Puck!" Sharlene yelled in panic. The blonde turned to the boy jogging towards them. "Alex! Jesus, can you watch where you kick that ball?" The blonde raised his hands over his head and shrugged. "Woah, chill tigress. Can't help that my aim is a bit off."

"A bit off? You missed the goal by about ten yards!" Alex shook his head as he rolled his eyes. Grabbing the soccer ball a few feet away, he stopped by Puck and knelt down.

"Is she going to be okay?" He didn't seem particularly concerned, as he did curious. Sharlene shot him a dirty look.

"What do you think?" she asked sarcastically. Alex looked up at her, brows furrowed, and sighed. He began snapping his fingers beside Puck's ears.

"Hello?" he said, now smacking her cheek, "wakey-wakey, princess." A small flutter of her eyes, and Puck found her face only some inches away from Alex Summer's. She sat up too quickly, slamming her forehead into Alex's. "Watch it!" he yelped.

"Sorry..." she said with embarrassment. She focused on her legs, trying to avoid eye contact. She could feel how hot her face was and the butterflies in her stomach. Alex, rubbing his head now, stalked off back to the field where his friends awaited him.

"Puck!" Sharlene hissed at her. Puck turned, face flushed, and swollen forehead.

"I know. I mucked up. God, I don't know what it is. I'm able to talk to everyone normally, but when I'm with him, it just feels...different, y'know? Like, I'm more aware that he is a guy, than I am that Logan is. And Logan, is like, the manliest man here. He's the freaking Wolverine." The words continued to tumble out of her mouth as she held her head.

"God. He's got you good."

"But he hasn't got me at all."

"And he won't ever if you keep this up."

Puck shook her head, and got up off of the ground. She stumbled a bit, her head spinning a bit even though she'd been fine after she'd been hit by the soccer ball. Sharlene got up as well, lending Puck a shoulder. She was worried, and as Puck's moment of vertigo washed away, she gave a reassuring wink.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sharlene still asked out of concern.

"I'm fine. I just got up too fast," Puck lowered a hand to her stomach, "damn, my stomach feels like it's eating itself."

"Didn't you eat lunch?"

"I was waiting for you and I was too excited." Sharlene laughed and pulled Puck along.

"C'mon. Let's go get you something."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:: Oh ho ho ho. I'll admit, I had this written up for awhile. Once again, reviews are always helpful and appreciated!**

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><p>Professor Xavier sat in his wheelchair, the sunset saying its farewell to his window, before the trees blocked it out. The heavy scent of oak and leather filled his office. On his desk was a hot cup of tea which Storm had brought for him. He was reviewing student files, as he took a sip. A knock at his door interrupted his work for a split second.<p>

"Come in."

The door creaked open, and in stepped Hank McCoy. The blue Beast looked especially well-dressed today in a crisp pin-striped suit. Half-spectacle glasses gazed at Xavier with slight worry.

"Hank, it's been a while. How has it been in the Senate?" Hank nodded and turned to the now darkening sky showing through the glass.

"It's been tough. Even after how much the X-Men have contributed in stopping Magneto, there are still those who oppose mutants. I can't say I'm surprised though. It's always been the same. Even if you try to be one thing, they find another thing to hate you for." The Professor closed his eyes, placing his hands clasped against his forehead.

"Things like this take time, Ha-"

"How much time? We've been treated like dirt ever since people discovered our existence, and no matter how we try to help, hardly anybody accepts who we are."

"Hank, the first step to being accepted into society, is accepting ourselves. You know that better than anyone else." The blue hairy man looked pained, and turned away from Xavier. "Please forgive me for touching a sensitive topic for you, but you-"

"It's fine. I understand," Hank sighed, "it's just hard to see the progress sometimes when it feels like whenever you take one step forward, you're pushed two steps back."

"It's only natural that that is how it might feel. All we can do is persevere." Beast nodded and seemed to regain his business-like composure. "So," the Professor began, "I can assume you came here for more than just a friendly chat?"

"No need to be polite, Professor. I'm quite aware you've already found out. You've known since before I entered the room, haven't you."

"I apologize for prying, but you were standing there for a while and I was a tad worried," Xavier's expression was solemn, "what do you intend to do, Hank? Will you vote in favour of it, or not." Hank sighed and crossed his arms.

"It's a delicate situation. For most, it is seen as a solution, a way to escape fate. For others it's an insult. As you can tell, matters are being discussed first whether the treatment is actually ethical, and tests are being run. It's looking like the real deal so far."

"You're avoiding the question, Hank." Yellow eyes glanced at the Professor, and then down to the floor.

"I honestly can't say. Part of me believes that I could be who I used to be, undo my mistakes," he began to back away from the middle of the room near the door now, "yet, at the same time, I've grown somewhat accustomed to what I am now. For some reason, there's this ache in my chest that tells me it wouldn't be the right thing to do." Xavier leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, and smiled.

"Understandable. It is rather sudden after all, I expect that you need time to sort things out." When he opened his eyes, he saw the sincere relief in Hank's eyes. "Should I expect another visit from you any time soon?" Hank gave a small amused snort.

"You already know the answer to that." As the door closed behind the blue furry beast, Xavier picked up his mug of tea again. As he took a sip, he turned to look out the window. The night sky was clear. But oh, what a storm we have headed our way, he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:: Please excuse how terrible the mock English-German dialogue is. I really tried. ;_; Once again, reviews = love.**

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><p>Storm stood out on the balcony, admiring the night sky. The bright stars glimmered like mini suns, strong enough to stand out, yet too dim to brighten the dark velvet they lay upon. The moon was regal, it's crescent tips sharp and commanding, so vivid that it was hard not to just stand and stare. Cool breezes stirred, brushing Storm's white hair out and letting it whip around her face. She found herself bringing her hands up to her arms, rubbing them in an attempt to warm herself. She could not contain the shiver that ran through her from the sudden chill. She was so peaceful, yet she had a nagging feeling that not everything was at ease.<p>

She turned her back, and was about to head in when a familiar voice began to speak inside her head.

"Storm, tomorrow during the training sessions, I'm going to leave it up to you to pick two new recruits that you feel are ready to take on missions."

"Professor, you're not intending to put them towards investigating the tanker spill on the Atlantic, are you?"

"I'm afraid so, Storm. There is no doubt about it, the new X-Gene cure being questioned in the Senate, and this tanker have some kind of connection. Just don't know what it is right now."

"I believe many of our recruits are ready; however, I don't know if they're prepared to take on a serious task like this."

"I assure you, I'm more than confident that at least five recruits should be able to aid us in this recon. We cannot wait for the others to get back. You know full well that Scott is not ready to go back out on the field."

"Logan has been in and out for some time now. I'm sure Jean's death has taken some toll on him."

"You'd be right to think so. I'm currently trying to contact Mr. Wagner to see if he might be able to help us. This way, there would only be need for one."

Suddenly, a flash and smoke appeared. Behind Storm was a fuzzy blue man, less bulky than McCoy, with a devil's tail swaying to and fro.

"I vas told that I could be ov use?" a thick German accent said, and an impish smile crossed the face of Kurt Wagner.

"It appears Nightcrawler is willing to help. So it'll be just one student then?" Storm spoke, a warm smiling greeting Kurt as she spoke to the Professor.

"Excellent. That will be all." With that, a sudden silence filled her head, and Storm turned her blue eyes to Kurt. His yellow eyes seemed to beam happily. It had been a while since he'd been back at the Academy. His missions had been piling up for weeks now, and he was usually in and out in seconds. To be in a place he considered his second time for more than just a minute was a nice feeling.

"So, there iz a mission ve must do, ja?"

"Yes, Kurt. We'll be doing some quick recon around the tanker spill in the Atlantic." Kurt's face seemed to drop.

"Are you sure that'z vat ve have to do? Von't it be tricky vith the coast guard and clean-up crews there?" Storm paused and took a moment to think.

"That's right. That's why you will do well in this mission. I can create a mist to cloak us, while you get one agent as close to the spill as you possibly can and search for anything with them."

"But most of ze tanker iz under vasser. Ve vould be best off vith somebody who can swim down that far, except the oil leaking everyvhere is very dangerous."

"Then we'll need someone who can phase."

"But Kitty iz vith her family. Ve can't just take her avay! She hasn't seen zem in so long."

"Actually, I have another Student in mind," Storm said, and gestured Kurt inside, "you should rest up. We won't be heading on that mission right away, but its better if we're all physically prepared for whatever we may face." Kurt nodded, and exited the balcony into the main drawing room. Storm closed the doors that lead out to the small terrace, and suddenly felt the cold prickle on her skin. The feeling had not left since the breeze that passed by. She took one more look at the moon shining down on the Earth, before she turned and followed Kurt out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:: HAH. LONGEST CHAPTER SO FAR. More mock English-German dialogue too. I should just go nuts with it, and then make it a chore for you guys to decipher.~ 8D /shot/ Nonono, I won't do that. But thank you guys for the encouragement so far! It's great to see how many are reading. Also, glad that so far people are enjoying Puck. LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE IS LONG. REVIEWS = LOVE. YOUR OPINIONS MATTER, GUYS.**

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><p>A small chirping from outside Puck's open window woke her from her blissful sleep. Brown eyes aflutter, she was greeted by ribbons of bright, morning light streaming in. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took around the room. The Girl's dorm was empty. Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Everyone else's bed was made up neatly, and as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and allowed her feet to touch the cold hardwood floor her eyes widened. She lunged for the alarm clock on her night stand and tried not to scream when she saw the time. It was eleven. She had already missed her first class of the morning and half of the second.<p>

She got up, and began scampering around the room. Rummaging for any clothes that were clean, she struggled into a pair of torn jeans and an over-sized shirt. Scurrying to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth, not having enough time to floss after, and tousled her hair. It was short so it didn't need too much maintenance.

"Okay, Puck," she spoke to herself as she exited the room and began to rush through the hallways, "let's take a shortcut." She summoned the energy within her, letting it spread a hot and liquid like feeling within her. She sped up, bolting down the hall. Within a second, her skin grew transparent and luminescent. She vaulted herself into the air, and then dived into the floor. She swam down two floors, before she rolled and landed on her feet in what would be her current class. A proud grin was on her face as the glow faded, and her normal complexion returned.

There was only one problem here. The classroom was empty, except for the blue fuzzy man she'd never met before. He watched her with a sincere grin as he clapped.

"Wow, zat vas excellent!" Puck felt a little pride blossom in her chest at the comment, and couldn't help but grow a little cocky.

"It's nothing really. When you practice as much as I do, it becomes second nature."

"Ja? Same thing here." With a flash, he vanished into smoke and reappeared behind her. When he tapped on her shoulder, Puck couldn't help but jump a bit, screeching at how quickly he had done so.

"You gave me a heart attack for a second there!"

"Vell, guess I'm returning ze favour. Vhen you see a glowing figure float down from ze ceiling, it'z hard not to think ze place might be haunted," Kurt chuckled, "vhy do you glow like that anyway?"

"Well, uh," Puck paused and tried to think of how Professor Xavier had explained it to her, "when I'm in that form, I basically am a gas. So, the little particles that make me up refract the light around me."

"Iz zat vhy your hair is a rainbow, too?" Puck laughed and shook her head.

"No, I did this myself," she said as she picked a strand between her forefinger and thumb. She let go, and then held out her hand to Kurt, "My name is Puck Colton. You can just call me Puck, of course. What's your name?"

"Kurt Wagner. It'z nice to meet you, Pahk," he said as he shook her hand, "so vhat are you doing haunting zis place?" Puck's smile vanished and her eyes widened.

"Oh god, I have to get to class-" No wait, she was already there. But where were they?

"Ah, you vere supposed to be in Storm's class, ja? Zey vent down to ze training room."

"Oh! Thank you so much!" Puck practically yelled before zooming off, "Bye!"

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><p>"That will be all for your training session," said Storm. Puck had managed to get their earlier just in time to slip into an X-Suit and join the others. Sharlene was already there, having an avid conversation with Sean. Alex was poking fun at Rogue and Bobby, who were not exactly being discrete about their apparent attraction for each other.<p>

They had failed the first time, but by their second try they managed to pull it off with a minimal amount of mistakes. Once they were warmed up, they had done two other missions and had pulled it off better than expected. Of course, that wasn't saying that most of the team, excluding Puck, had already been on their first mission.

"You guys are working together much more in sync than you had when you first began. This is important to being an X-Men, since you must be able to rely on your teammates," Storm said after they had all changed out of their suits, "you've all earned yourself a break." They all were excited, as they started chattering about what they were going to do.

"Puck," Storm began, "since you were late, I expect you to make up for your tardiness with extra training." Puck looked down, embarrassed at having been called out.

"Sorry, Storm. I didn't hear my alarm this morning, and when I got up I tri-" Storm raised her hand, interrupting the girl's apology.

"However," Storm began, "you'll be happy to know that you'll be going on your first mission in two days. You will be joined by me, and Nightcrawler. So think of your make-up training as also preparation." The ebony skinned woman smiled, and Puck raised her head quickly. For a second she couldn't believe it, but soon enough she was jumping up and down squealing thanks. She even gave Storm a hug, who was a bit startled at first, but gave Puck a pat on the head for encouragement.

When Puck let go, she quickly began clinging to Sharlene, who laughed and congratulated her as well as the others. They all knew full well Puck had been waiting for this moment. Everyone gave her a small pat on the back before going off their separate ways, including Storm. Alex didn't feel the same as the others. He was envious, actually. Puck had been at the academy a shorter time than he, but it had taken him way longer before he got his first mission. Her powers were purely evasive too.

"Good job, twerp," he said, giving her a light smack on the head as he left, "though you don't really deserve it." He sauntered off, brooding a tad. He hadn't been given a mission in a month, and here this chick was, getting to go with what most students would consider veterans of the X-Men.

Puck was stunned at what he'd said. She hadn't minded him calling her a twerp. She didn't deserve it though? That was beyond cold. Sharlene held up her fist and shook it at Alex.

"What the hell do you know, you self-centered bas-!" Sean placed his hand over her mouth, and hushed her.

"C'mon, Sharlene. Don't waste your breath," Sean turned to Puck, "I'm sure he didn't actually mean it. He's just teasing...I think. The guy's sense of humour always was a bit off." Puck nodded, but couldn't manage a smile. Sharlene frowned, and gave Puck a big squeeze.

"Sean, do you mind leaving us alone for a while?" Sharlene asked. Sean nodded his head, his expression a tad worried, but forced himself to turn and walk away from the two.

"Shar," Puck began, "you don't have to do this. You should go have fun with Sean. I mean, this is the most I've seen you guys talk in ever." Sharlene smiled lightly.

"Yeah, it is. I have to admit, whiling we were heading to our target location, I was so nervous that I just started talking and couldn't stop," she gave an embarrassed chuckle, "he was a bit nervous too, can you believe it? We wound up distracting each other by talking about anything we could to keep our mind off the mission and stay relaxed." Puck looked up at Sharlene's blissful face. She pouted and pushed Sharlene away.

"Then what are you still doing here? Good god! Sharlene, you go after that boy, or I will gladly give you a smack upside the head." Sharlene made a face that was partly mock grimace, and partly fearful that Puck might actually do it. Puck was small, but she knew how to pack a punch. When Puck made her crazy wide-eyed stare and reared back her arm, Sharlene couldn't help but giggle.

"Okay, okay. I'll go. Are you sure you're fine, though?"

"Yes! Now go, you dork!" Sharlene rushed off, leaving Puck in the hallway on her own. Puck turned, and began to glow. She floated up and out, until she found herself outside where she shifted back to normal.

"Freaking Alex," she muttered angrily, "I deserve this. I'll prove it!" If there was one thing Puck was not going to take, it was that kind of treatment, whether she liked the guy or not. She ran through the shrubbery nearby, intending to find a more secluded place among the small forest surrounding the school to practice. A grin crept across her face as she stumbled through bushes and around tree roots. She was going to show him a thing or two, even if she had to break a few bones trying.

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><p><strong>AN:: Just to clarify something, though most of the students are aware of there being an X-Men named Nightcrawler, only a select few in the group we have here have actually met him. This is why Puck doesn't recognize that Kurt is Nightcrawler, of course, you guys already figured that out. Maybe. Well, now you did, if you didn't before. I'm going to shut up now.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was crawling from the sky, to nest itself behind the trees and be covered in the blanket of night. The air betrayed no sense of awareness to the approaching darkness, and remained muggy and thick. A strong musk of lavender hung throughout the school grounds that was almost tangible on the tongues of those who lived there. Most of the small critters had finished their chirping for the day, and prepared themselves to have their brethren of the night clock in. Across the stone terrace, ivy dripping from its railing, Storm pushed the Professor's wheelchair. The clean shaven man held his hands folded in his lap, taking in his calm surroundings. The tall, ebony skinned woman watched him with bold blue eyes, brimming with curiosity.

The silence between the two had usually been peaceful, but today uncertainty hung in the air. Storm held her tongue for now, not sure of how she should come across. Her thoughts were interrupted quickly.

"Storm, is there something you want to say, or perhaps, ask?"

As if you don't know already, she thought as she smiled softly. He returned the small gesture.

"Yes, I suppose I do. Still, it would make me feel less guilty for prying in your mind, if you would say it yourself."

"I'm just not sure," she began, and pursed her lips, "How does this new supposed cure and the tanker spill connect. I've been mulling it over, but I'm not finding anything that makes the two related."

The Professor sat still, as he gazed out to the lush grassy fields that made up the academy. His fingers stroked the leather bound arm of the chair, brushing the smooth ripples tenderly.

"Ororo, I have a strong intuition that they are deeply related; much more than I offhandedly would care to think," he began, "the truth being, that I cannot see the connection through my visions alone. It's peculiar. I feel I am following another's footsteps, but I am unable to find that person in them." Storm's grip tightened on the handles of the wheelchair.

"Do you suppose it's another mutant? Perhaps one with the power of invisibility."

"I considered the possibility, even to the point of searching with Cerebro. However, I did not feel that same psychic connection with them as I do in the visions. It only encourages that there is something more to be investigated with the spill." He raised a hand, rubbing his left temple in thought. There was no doubt in Ororo's mind; he seemed to be rather disturbed by this situation despite his calm exterior. Letting go of the handles, she knelt down beside him, placing her own hand over his.

"These are hard times, Charles. We've lost important loved ones at the academy; I know it is hard to move along. I know what she was like to you." Charles turned to Ororo, and placed his other hand on top of hers.

"I appreciate your concern, but we must move on and stand strong. Jean will stay in memory, forever to be relived in the past, but we need to better what is ahead of us. I will not hold back now, and continue to grieve. Too many are suffering here just as I do, and I refuse to burden my own responsibility on the shoulders of others." Ororo's brows furrowed, her blue eyes beginning to shimmer as the salty water began to tear up. Charles smiled, pushing her ivory hair back from her face, and caressing her face.

"Ororo, I put a lot of trust in you, and I know you understand what I must do. You know as well, what your duty is. I hope you can put your own trust in me, and comply with my orders." She managed to smile, wiping the solitary tear that had begun to stream down her cheek.

"How could I not?" Getting up off of her knees, she took hold of the handles, and glanced at the now darkened sky. The moon was rising from slumber, shaking it's luminous morning tears of light over the tops of every tree, leaf, and hill in the distance. Lights began to glow from inside the building, and as Storm wheeled Professor Xavier inside, she directed one more thought towards the man before her. I'm always here beside you; it lingered in her head like a stray pup. Little did she know, Charles raised his hand to wipe a tear before it could escape his lower eye lid, and cradled his arm cheek in his palm.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:: So, recently I've finally been updating X Future. It's felt good after my slump, which was aided by my exams. I still have trouble comprehending the fact I completely ignored this for over a month. It's pretty crazy. I'm going to try to update regularly now, and hopefully I will gather more readers and reviews. I hope all of you are having a great summer too!**

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><p>The dim lighting in the regal living room set a musty, almost fuzzy atmosphere. A warm breeze fluttered through thin, beige cotton drapes. The moonlight waded outside the windowsill, waiting for the moment all the lights would turn off and it could creep inside. Alex sat back in the brown, leather sofas the television muttered in the background. His eyes were transfixed by the dark, coffee-stained hardwood floor below him, zoning out to the quips and qualms of the reality persons babbling away on the glowing screen.<p>

"You okay, bro?" Alex blinked, raising his head and turning it to find Sean behind the couch, resting his crossed arms on the back of it. The blonde sighed as he raised an eyebrow up at the redhead.

"Yeah, why would I not?" he said, his tone harsh and somewhat scorned. Sean flinched slightly, before hopping over the seat, and landing his butt on the cushion beside Alex.

"I don't know, I just… Well, bud, you've been a bit uptight lately. I can tell something is up," Sean breathed out nervously, "I don't expect you to tell me what it is, but I mean, you kind of got a little edgy when Puck got that mission." Alex gripped the arm of the sofa, feeling a small burn build in his palm, before stopping himself. A smoking, charred handprint was left as a mark of his pent up irritation.

"How 'bout you tell me what you make of it, Dr. Phil?" he smirked at the boy beside him. He and Sean were friends, but it wasn't like they were girlfriends ready to grab their slumber party pillows and pink pyjamas set to gaggle and gossip about everyone else in the house. No, there was no way in hell he would ever do that. Alex would rather have had Wolf Man slam a two by four over his head three hundred times before he let anything like that happen. Sean frowned before sighing and reaching for the remote.

"Look, man, if you were just teasin' I get that. Puck doesn't though, and you hurt her feelings. Maybe you don't like the idea, but you should apologize. Just to clear things up, y'know?" Sean began flipping through the channels, releasing the grip of his eyes from Alex to the moving images before him now. Alex yawned, pushing himself off the couch, brushing off all of what Sean had said.

"You talk too much," he shot as he sauntered out of the room. The last thing he wanted was to be reprimanded for whatever he had said or done. With what Sean had said mulling through his head now, he did feel a small pang of guilt. Though he didn't feel Puck had deserved what she had gotten, he had had no right to bring her down. However, he was in no mood or position to talk to her at ten at night, so instead he decided that he'd go outside to relieve himself of some stress. A few cracks of energy here and there, a busted tree or ten, and he'd feel better.

Out the French doors he was, into the blanket of moonlight glistening over everything almost as brilliantly as fresh snow. Shadows dared taint the pureness, as Alex hurried into their cover, through the thick brush that surrounded the Academy.

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><p>A glowing ember, twisting a multitude of colours within its silhouette burned in the small grassy hole which lay in the middle of the forest. Its luminance sped across the area, turning into trees, rolling through their branches and leaves before returning to where the night light nested in the circle. The luminance and brilliant colour faded, returning back into a solid, illustrious form that was Puck. Beads of sweat dribbled down the side of her face, as she fell back on her but, and lay down breathing hard. She had been training straight for a couple of hours now, and she was drained physically. Transforming into that gaseous state tended to zap her energy if done too often, and she'd felt she had reached her limit. So far, she hadn't beaten her record of fastest shift between forms, causing her to frown and groan. In a fight, even one second mattered, and she knew she couldn't afford to take any sweet time with every moment she had.<p>

Rolling over, she pushed herself up and found herself sitting cross legged as she plucked a few blades of grass with her small, slender fingers. She brought them close to her face, inspecting them with her big brown eyes. She could still hear Alex's words speaking down to her, and she flicked the grass away. She was so furious. She had done nothing to insult him ever before, except cause him a small injury or two by accident. Well, maybe five, if she counted the multiple times she'd spilled something and he'd slipped on it. Plus the time she had ran right into him on the stairs, and they'd both gotten a rough tumble down. Still, she didn't see why he should hold a grudge over a couple of accidents. If he did, it only reflected poorly on him, she decided.

A rustle leaves and a crack of branches to her left caused her to jump to her feet out of fright. Out of the curtain of branches exited Alex, who seemed just as startled to see her here, as she was to see him. The racing of her heart did not slow, but paced faster with anger. She stood with her back straight, and after a moment of their eyes watching each other, she turned away and began to walk off.

"Hey, I'm sorry about what I said" Alex forced the words out, deciding that now would be a better time than never, "I shouldn't have made you feel so insecure." The last bit made Puck snap. She turned back to him, and strode over until there were only inches separating them.

"Is it impossible for you to say something nice to me? Because I don't want your sad excuse for an apology!" she said as she shook a bit, pressing her fore finger to his chest. "I know I might have bumped into you a few times, and tripped or spooked you by accident, but that gives you no reason to hold it against me and decided whether or not I deserve that mission!" Her voice was beginning to tremble as she pushed him as hard as she could with her finger, before turning her back to him and leaving again. Alex grabbed her wrist, now furious at her for accusing him of being that petty.

"What the hell do you think you know? Your inability to keep your balance or be careful has nothing to do with what I said."

"Then what is your problem? Why do you have to just stomp all over my moment?" Puck began to yell in frustration. Tears were brimming on the rim of her eyelids.

"Oh, for the love of-," Alex shook his head, "don't cry! Jesus, why do you have to take it so personally? It was just a joke! I said something that maybe wasn't the nicest, but it wasn't like I spat and danced all over the graves of your ancestors."

The collision of palm to cheek rang through the air. The pink print began to blossom on Alex's face, as his blue eyes stared at Puck in shock. Tears were flooding down her face, the floodgates having been released at his last remark.

"Don't even mention anything about their graves," she whispered, as she removed her wrist from his now loose grip and ran off. Alex waited until he couldn't hear the shuffle of the forest around him before spitting on the ground.

"Just fucking perfect," he muttered and then whipped around to shoot a blast of flaming red energy that moved down a small group of trees. The blackened clump of stumps sizzled, small glowing embers glimmering like little fireflies in the shadows. The day couldn't have ended on a worse note.


End file.
